Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1887-05-21
GOVERNMENT AND THE GOVERNED

following the cause. III is the restless
ness of the governed under the govern
ment which fails to meet modern re-
ouirements. The remedies proposed for
the diseased social status of a world are
naturally as numerous as the need is
pressing. The air is full of clamor raised
by different cliques and classes. 1t is
also natural under the circumstances
that these cliques and classes should ar
que from their own respective stand
points, and that these arguments should
be largely characterized by anger and
emptiness. The reconciling of these
clashing interests on the broad plane of
universal good; the successful probing of
the hollowness of these swollen bubbles
of false argument, is the mighty work the
world demands to-day of the true philan-
thropist and reformer.
The strain to which society is sub
iected must be relieved, if possible, by
broad and unprejudiced reasoning in the
line of causes. In this manner only can
the possibilities and limitations of relief
be suggested. 1t is evident that in the
present state of society many are hope
lessly worsted in the effort to gain, not a
competency, but moderate sustenance.
Numerous irrelevant causes and cures are
constantly being proclaimed for this glar
ing evil. leaving the essential causes un-
touched. The mutterings of discomfort
heard on all sides have their basis largely
in the belief that the fault lies in fric-
ton resulting from an artificial social or
der. Economic laws are really, at bot
tom, the outcome of physiological laws
and conditions. Assuredly, laws of ma
ture are fundamental and must underlie
economic laws; the latter may be modi-
fled, but not essentially altered by artif-
cial social relations. Certain reformers
are fercely attacking our social system
as the ultimate cause of misery, entirely
overlooking the fact that social conditions
are merely the resultant and aggregate
of individual characteristics. AS long as
these remain unchanged, society
may be repeatedly disintegrated,
but the same abuses will as regu-
larly spring up. Those who are
demanding more social equality must
first see TO it that there is more individ-
ual equality. 1t is favorite corollery of
our political system that all men are born
equal. Unfortunately, legal equality is
not physiological equality. In fact, there
is no such thing as equality. Much of
the restlessness of the age is the endeav-
or to institute formulas and laws of
equality while no such real element ex-
lists. Two pendous factors are present
in all lie, PHYSICAL as well as mental
heredity and environment. These all
controlling Influences are present, for
good or evil, irving proportions in
different lives. With the generation of
life heredity, wlp5e mysterious effects
we must realize without understanding,
has done It's best or worst for the begin
ming existence; is potency has been in
the past, acting perhaps through long
reaches of time. With commencing life
comes the new element of environment,
as the complement of heredity, to en-
nance the evil trail % perhaps obliterate
it; too often to SOW the seeds of physical
and mental weakness IN a constitution
that was given a healthy start. To in
sure correct environment and habit,
particularly in the early years of life,
is of vital Importance to the we'll
being and efficiency of the individual.
This, unfortunately, is not, ana in many
cases cannot, be done. Hence the fear
fully Unequal physical, mental, and moral
equipment Of mankind, that allows the
minority to have too much, the majority
too little, of the worlds necessities and |
comforts. A persistent struggle for
continuous and successful life, with
accidents or catastrophes, al
ways possible, forms the ever-present
of physical as well as of social
living. Much of our daily energy is
expended in repairing con-
tinual bodily waste that the process of
life entails, in fighting off disease or
avoiding accidents Life can truly be de-
lined as a struggle for existence. With
reference to life in society, Carlyle, in his
berse, strong style, puts it thus: "No
man lives without jostling and being
lostled; in all ways he has to elbow him
sell through the world, giving and re-
ceiving offense. His life is battle, in
SO far as it is an entity at ALL"
must try and determine
Why many fight such losing battle,
'y seeking closer counsel with the laws
md teachings of physiology The lazy,
Inefficient and even the criminal classes,
re an inevitable by-product of our COM
lex modern civilization. They are not
but accretions. They are de-
eloped by laws that it is the duty of
ocial science to discover and obviate,
instead of indulging in idle moralizing.
'hese laws must be evolved by slow
nd patient study of social phenomena
Interpreted by biological methods.
When these laws are understood, it will |
'e seen that a sound education is a
Measure of relief. use this word in no [
larrow or conventional sense, but mean ]
ng the development of the whole being {
n the line OF the highest strength and '
lhclency of the various parts. Every
mort OF the philanthropist, the social re- c
ermer, and the Government must be in
oked TO prevent degradation and de- e
generation in the poorer classes, and v
alse them to better status. The laws !
healthy development must be taught. g
nu tue consequences of their neglect in S
ne habits OF life be shown. A young C
nAh VINO will marry early and raise a n